Diffusion grille



` Jan. 1s, 1944.

H. F. FISCHER, JR

DIFFUSION GRILLE INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

"not mix well with the room air. To avoid Patented Jan. 18, 1944 DIFFUSION GRILLE Harry F. Fischer, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Modlne Manufacturing Company, Racine,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 2, 1939, Serial No. 293,198

1 Claim. (Cl. 98-38) This invention relates to the mixing of incoming heating or cooling air with the air already in a room, and more particularly to a diffusion grille for the outlet of an" air conduit.

`It is diflicult to uniformly heat or cool a room with a stream of air delivered thereto through a wall or ceiling outlet unless the incoming primary air is mixed or diffused with the secondary room air in the vproper manner. For example, in the cooling o! a room there are likely to be cold draity places when the incoming cool air does such conditions various-devices have been proposed for the purpose -ofproducing the desired diilusion. However, as'far as` I am aware, none of these has been entirely satisfactory 'for side wall use for the reason that directional control is lacking and known apparatus is not adapted to controlled length of diiu'sed air throw.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a device for the diiiuson of primary and secondary air in a room which is simple and inexpensivev in construction,

in operation, which causes diffusion to start at the wall, which requires but little space, andwhich is'especially suitable for side wall installations.

In accordance with this invention a plurality of laterally spaced conduit-like vanes form part of a grille adapted to be disposed transversely of a stream of primary air, such as at the wall outlet of an air conduit from a furnace or cooling apparatus. At least .some of these vanes are provided on their room or lee sides-with aspirating openings, preferably slots, and also have inlet openings at their ends for thel entrance of secondary or room'air. The flow of the primary air between the vanes draws the secondary air into the endsof the vanes. and out of their aspirating openings. This causes the primary and -secondary air to ditluse or mix together as it leaves the grille. The vanes are preferably adjustable lso that the air may be directed laterally as desired.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyy ing drawinginwhich Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my diffusion grille separated into two parts for the purpose of clearer illustration; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a modification of my invention; Fig. 31s a vertical section taken on the line III- III of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line IV--IV of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a front view of the grille.

Referring toFig. 1 of which is highly eillcient.

the drawing, la plurality of vertical vanes I are disposed in a row in spaced l parallel relation with their ends projecting through openings in a pair of horizontal supporting bars 2. The ends of the two bars are connected rigidly together by parallel end plates 3. Each vane is of tubular form and has cylindrical end portions that llt snugly in the bars, but not so tightly as to prevent the vanes from being turned when desired. Between its ends the tube is elongated transversely to form a narrow projecting portion in which there is a vertical slot l that may be either continuous or separated into sections. v

The grille thus formed is adapted to be mounted in the wall of a room, whether ceiling or side wall in the outlet opening of an air supply-duct. As the primary air from the duct enters the room between the vanes of this grille it creates a low pressure area adjacent vane slots 4 and thereby draws secondary air from the room into the open ends of the vanes andout of the slot. As this secondary air issues from the slots it diffuses with the primary air, whereby the two ilow across the room together. The direction of air flow away from the grille can be regulated by turning the vanes in their supporting bars.

Toyfacilitate mounting of the grille in the wall and also to 'improve its appearance, it is surrounded by a frame. Accordingly, the rear portions of bars 2 are bent Aupwardly away from the tube ends and provided with forwardly extending flat integral portions 6 the outer portions of which are bent outwardly at right angles to form upper and lower iianges 1. This leaves a space between the ends of the vanes and the frame so that the secondary air can enter the vanes. End plates 3 are provided with outwardly projecting flanges B in the plane of flanges 1, thereby completing the frame.

In the modiiied embodiment of this invention shown in the remaining iigures a plurality of of the bars are rigidly connected by vertical end plates Il. The ends of the vanes are hidden from view by iianges I6 curving rearwardly from the front edges of bars I2.v The rear edges of these ilanges are spaced from upright flanges I3 to form behind the the tir.

The principal din'erence between the embodiment and the iirst described form of the invention is that this one is also provided with horizontal vanes. That is, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal tubular vanes i1 are provided Y assaeae betweentheroom andthevaneendsior' with cylindrical ends that are snugly, `but rotatably, mounted in4 end plates 'Il behind the veruca1 vanes..ro,prevent"tne nat end flanges la. which are-.in front of the horizontal vanas, lfrom cutting oil' communication between the room and the ends of those venes-when the grille is installed in a wall, the inner ends of the ilanges Vare spaced from end plates il by ilange plates I9 parallel thereto. The two plates at each end of the grille are connected together at their rear edges by an integral spacing plate 2i,Y These plates .and the space betwen them are hidden from view `by a ilange 22 curved rearwardly from shown and described as being particularly adapted for wall use and as including substantially straight elongated conduit-like vanes, it should be understood that I particularly con- "template employing the principles of my invention for ceiling, tioor or other grilles or outlets and that the conduit-like vanes can take any desired shape, such as circular, semi-circular, elliptical, square, or other geometrical shapes as long as their function herein described remains basically the same. Further, it should be understood that I may employ my improved grille with auxiliary deecting or directing vanes or plates ofthe standard type made oi' flat sheet metal which can be secured on the front or back of the grille and positioned or adjusted by known the front edge of each end plate I4. As shown in Fig. 4, the rear vedge of.v each curvedilange 22 is spaced from the adjacent ilat flange I8 to provide a passagethrough which secondary air may pass from the room to the ends of the horizontal vanes. The horizontal and vertical iiat and curved flanges are connected to form a frame of pleasing appearance, as shown in Fig. 5. A

A diil'usion grille constructed in accordance with this invention causes the secondary air to mix with the primary air at the wall, wherefore diffusiontakes place as soon 'as the primary air enters the room. This type of grille eilects satisfactory diffusion without changing the general direction oi'ilow of the primary air, and consequently is suitablefor side wall outlets. The direction of ilow can be readily changed or ad- Justed by merelyfturning the vanes. Likewise,

the amount oi diiusion can be controlled i'or diierent installations by varying the size and number of vanes, their cross-sectional shape, and the size of their aspirating openings. Although tubular vanes have been shown, it will be understood that any conduit-like vane may be used under lthe right circumstances, such as a channel-likje vane.

Although my invention has been specifically means. When such auxiliary vanas are used the vanes in my improved grille may be made nonrotatable. l

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my inventionf and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may -be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim: A diffusion grille adapted to be disposed transversely of a stream of primary air, comprising a pair of substantially parallel spaced elongate members'each provided with a row of longitu dinally spaced openings, a plurality oi' substantially parallel tubular vanes disposed between said members with their ends mounted' in said openings. each of said vanes being provided in its lee side with an aspirating slot and having open ends, a flat ilange projecting at substantially right angles away from the rear edge of each of said elongate members, and a rearwardly curved ilange projecting from the front edge of each elongate member,v the rear edge of said curved ange Abeing spaced from the adjacent flat flange to provide a passage for secondary ai'r to the open ends of the vanes.

` HARRY F. FISCHER, JR. 

